Toora two in a row Foster Fish Creek play out a heartstopper
By Rob Popplestone
TOORA entered the season with determination, but the odds seemed stacked against them after a challenging start. The team had been working tirelessly to refine their tactics and build momentum, and their previous victory against Morwell East showcased their resilience. Yet, with MDU arriving fresh off a bye, the Magpies knew they were facing a formidable opponent, one that had been a consistent force throughout the early rounds of the competition.
The Magpies had the Demons on the back foot early and to their credit responded every time they were challenged along their way to the most unlikely of wins, Toora 11-8-74 to MDU 9-7-61
Jay Acardi, Toora coach “We came up against a strong MDU today that are pretty polished with the ball in hand and are a side that set the ground quite well. To our boys credit we applied pressure for four quarters and were able to get the game on our terms for periods of the match.
The task doesn’t get any easier next up with a game against Foster who are going quite well and are a tough team to play on their home deck.”
The win was unexpected for most, but not from those at Toora, the Magpies now with two wins in a row, and dreaming of even bigger and better things ahead.
On the flip side, the loss is a disaster for the Demons who up until the weekend seemed to be travelling so beautifully, their fourth place on the MGFNL ladder now looking a little fragile.
The Demons must now prepare for their stand alone game against the “stars of the show” in Fish Creek over the Kings Birthday weekend, their weekend loss against Toora, a dent to the confidence needed to take on the team the quality of the Kangaroos, or the reality check they needed just in time for the leagues toughest challenge?
Time will tell.
Fish Creek v Foster
TWO teams in top form clashed for the expected title of premiership favourite.
Foster arrived at the home of the Kangaroos as the only unbeaten side in the competition, ready to take on the back-to-back reigning premiers.
A clash worthy of the big crowd that attended didn't disappoint, the home side winning in the game of the season.
Fish Creek 7-7-49 to Foster 7-6-48
Jarrad Walker, Fish Creek coach “A gritty win yesterday. A genuine arm wrestle all day with neither team able to kick back to back goals. Both teams defended really well making low scoring affair and we just fell on the right side at the final siren.”
It was one of those games, Foster didn’t lose, they just happened to be behind when the final siren sounded.
The Tigers believe they had their chances, and now the most frustrating thing is they must wait some months before their chance of redemption.
Sam Davies, Foster coach “Just a game that got away unfortunately and a game that we definitely lost from our mistakes rather than they won from playing good footy. High stoppage scrap for a lot of the day and we just failed to execute late which led to turnover or poor decision making. We’ll learn and take a lot away from it, but we need to be better in certain areas.
We need a break and will take the week off to reset before the next block of games.”
Only percentage separates the top three sides of Fish Creek, Foster and Yinnar and the impressive and important win on the weekend, as crucial as it was for Fish Creek does little to help predict which of the trio, are worthy of premiership favouritism.
